6 Hidden Bars You Need to Know About

In recent years speakeasy bars have been popping up on Singapore’s cocktail scene faster than you can say “make mine a Bloody Mary”. Not that we’re complaining, quite the opposite; we’re huge fans of clandestine boozing and love nothing more than whiling away a couple of hours in a cosy spot with a top mixologist and bespoke cocktails for company. Of course we have our list of fave’s that you’ll likely be familiar with (Employee’s Only, The Other Room, The Horse’s Mouth – we’re looking at you), but recently we’ve discovered a couple of hot new spots to throw into the mix. Have you discovered these six hidden gems yet?

Tiki Bar at Aloha Poké

A bright neon pineapple illuminates the entrance to Aloha Poké, Singapore’s first and only Tiki Bar. By day the restaurant serves up lunchtime poké bowls made with fresh fish and crunchy vegetables, but as night starts to fall, the spot transforms into a tropical drinking den where you can spend rum-soaked evenings sipping on island-inspired cocktails and snacking on tiki treats like the Kahlua Pig Burrito and the Ultimate Poké Bowl. For drinks we highly recommend the Fiery Passion made with two kinds of rum, lime, lemongrass and vanilla topped with a flaming slice of passionfruit.

We’ve always been huge fans of Oxwell & Co for their classic British cuisine and sophisticated space spread out over a four-storey shophouse, so we were intrigued when we heard that they recently opened Apothecary, a brand new hidden bar on the third floor. The entrance is through a secret doorway in the dining room, and once inside you’ll find vintage furnishings and jars filled with homemade elixirs. In keeping with the old-timey Apothecary theme, the drinks sport medicinal names. Take for example the Fennicilin made with Monkey Shoulder Whisky, Islay Malt Whisky, honey fennel syrup, root ginger and citrus.

Being part of the crew that gets down to business at the Working Capitol co-working space, we’ve seen a ton of sweet F&B spots open up within the space and around the hood, and one of our new favourites is Bar Piccolo. Opened by the same folks behind Luxe, this lovely terrace bar is located in the beer garden at the Working Capitol and it makes for a great spot to chill out with an after-work Aperol Spritz and do a bit of people watching from your perch above the street. They also have a great selection of proseccos, wines and beers, and you can order bar bites from Luxe downstairs.

1 Keong Saik Road

Tel: +65 6221 5615

Hours: Daily: 3pm – 10pm

Catchfly

Hidden away in the basement of 12 Ann Siang is a classy little American-style watering hole called Catchfly where exposed brick adorns the walls, velvet armchairs beckon and soft lighting sets the mood. Let head bartender Liam Baele whip you up a craft cocktail made with his special infusions and syrups or order signature sips off the menu like the Honey Badger with rosemary-infused bourbon, yellow chartreuse and dashes of lemon, ginger and honey. Bar bites include the Spiced Edamame and Lamb Corn Dogs.

Located in Boat Quay just in front of Aburiya Japanese Yakiniku and run by the same people, The Container is an al fresco Japanese whisky and wagyu tapas bar styled after the makeshift bars made out of containers that Hokkaido wagyu farmers gather in after long days in the fields. The star offerings here are their house-infused whiskies that get their unique taste and aroma from wagyu fat. Also on offer are sakes, Japanese beers and whisky-based cocktails. To accompany the bevvies they’ve got a great selection of small plates like the Wagyu Bao and ‘Smoking’ Wagyu Carpaccio.

Serious tipplers definitely don’t want to miss out on a trip to Junior, a unique 10-seater bar brought to us by the cocktail crazy cats from 28HK, Proof & Company and Crackerjack. In fact, the intimate bar is set up within Crackerjack but accessed through the back alley. The idea here is to present two concepts or themes a year and each time the theme changes so do the drinks, decor and even the music. The first (and current) theme focuses on agave spirits with tasting flights of artisanal mezcals and tequilas, Mexican themed decor like barro negro candles and tasty bites created to complement the booze.